Disclaimer: Samurai 7 is in no way mine. All credit goes to Akira Kurosawa and Gonzo. Kudos to them.
Author's Note:
Let me tell you-- inspiration can come from just about anywhere. There I was, watching 'Cow and Chicken' for Pete's Sake, and BAM!
The episode went something like this: Cow had entered a beauty pageant, and for her speech, she said something along the lines of "...because everyone is beautiful...if you squint hard enough." Which I thought was terribly shallow at the time, but then I got to thinking about Samurai 7, of course. ((Because for me, most everything can be twisted around to S7. xD)) And ho! this brainchild was born.
So. Enjoy.
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"If You Close Your Eyes..."
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The seven Samurai, plus Kirara and Komachi, sit in a half-circle in the moderately large hut (for it had to be to house so many), eating in almost-silence and taking their time with the meals of precious rice.
Except for Kikuchiyo-- who was shoveling the rice down his metal hatch-- and Heihachi, who liked the stuff too much to eat it slowly anyway.
Nighttime had settled its self in the village of Kanna, and the inhabitants took to it with exhausted relief. The villagers--nay-- the soldiers of Kanna had worked throughout the day in the baking sun to prepare their small village for battle, with much help from the hired Samurai.
The Nobuseri's attack was expected any day, and the people of Kanna were getting quite anxious.
But Komachi couldn't be bothered with that right this instant.
Instead, she busies herself by alternating between fiddling with her half-eaten food and eyeing the Samurai. She has a question to ask, and it's burning to be answered.
"Heihachi..." She begins, leaning forward to address the Samurai, placing her bowl aside. "...what's wrong with your eyes?"
"K-komachi!" Cries Kirara, startled-- for her sister's disgrace was her own.
Shichiroji snorts in his rice, quite amused. Kiku laughs heartily at the question, sending bits of his meal everywhere.
"I mean," the small girl continues, undeterred. "Why're your eyes always closed...?"
Heihachi, surprised, blinks and puts down his 3rd empty bowl.
He ponders the question and puts on a face.
"You needn't answer, Great Samurai--" started Kirara hurriedly, afraid that her sister had offended-- but was stopped short by a casual wave of the hand by the Samurai in question.
"No, no," He said, a smile returned to his face. "I think I've got an answer."
He leans in to be eye-level with the small girl. "Because, Koma-chan," he begins, a playful quirk in his smile. "If you close your eyes, everything is beautiful. Because nothing can be otherwise."
Komachi blinks confusedly. Katsushiro looks to be as confused as Komachi, but he isn't very willing to share his ignorance with the room. Kyuzou allows a small smirk to grace his features, but it quickly fades.
"Wha-- Hei-noji, that makes no sense!" Kikuchiyo echoes in the small wooden building, scratching his metal head.
Heihachi shrugs, still smiling, and turns to a startled Kirara. "More, please?"
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It seems to be just like Heihachi to answer as cryptically as that. I mean, think about it; do blind men go around thinking that the world is a horrible, ugly place? I think not. I would think that they'd like to think that the world is a beautiful place-- even if they can't see it. But what do I know?
R/R, folks. It makes people happy.
Edit: For Samuraiko, I fixed some things. ;3